Hospital Worker Contracts AIDS Virus From Needle

October 28, 1987

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ A medical worker accidently stuck with a needle in July has become infected with the deadly AIDS virus, officials said Wednesday.

According to a statement issued by Mercy Hospital, where the woman was working at the time, she was drawing blood from an AIDS patient when the needle stuck her and she was injected with a small quantity of the blood.

The incident is one of 13 reported infections of acquired immune deficiency syndrome, among health care workers nationally, according to Charles Fallis of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.

Following policy, the for workers who care for AIDS patients, the hospital said, the unidentified employee was wearing a protective gown and gloves.

The woman was placed on leave.

AIDS is spread most often through sexual contact, needles or syringes shared by drug abusers, infected blood or blood products, and from pregnant women to their offspring. There is no known cure.